Die and process for making cup-handles



J. BENTON.

m5 AND PROCESS FOR MAKING cuP HANDLES.

Patented Oct. 18, 1921.

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INVENTOR V. v BY A ORNEY APPLICATION FILED AUG-24, 1920 Patented 0013. 18, 1921.

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J5mes Benton UNITED STATE JAMES BENTON, OF EAST PALESTINE, OHIO.

DIE AND PROCESS FOR MAKING CUP-HANDLES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 18, 1921.

Application filed August 24, 1920. Serial No. 405,670.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMEs BENTON, a citizen of the United States, residing at East Palestine, in the county of Columbiana and State of Ohio, have invented new and useful Improvements in Die and Processes for Making Cup-Handles, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to the making of articles of pottery, and more particularly to a die and a method for making cup handles.

One of the main objects of the invention is to provide simple and practical means whereby cup handles and similar: articles of pottery may be readily manufactured in large number by machine operated dies, instead of being cast by hand as is the common practice. A further object is to provide a die by, means of which a plurality of articles may be formed at a single operation and may be quickly and easily removed from the die. Further objects will appear from the detailed description.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side "view of the die and associated parts showing the upper section raised.

Fig. 2 is an underneath view of the upper die section.

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the lower die, section.

Fig. 4 is a transverse section of the die in closed or operative condition.

Fig. 5 is a central longitudinal section through the lower die section and associated parts, partly in elevation.

Fig. 6 is a plan view of a. set of handles attached to a stick.

It is the present practice in large potteries to form cup handles by casting by pouring a suitable mixture or slip into a plasterof Paris mold and permitting this slip to set. This necessarily requires considerable time and space and is a very slow meth- 0d, and to supply the demand it is necessary to employ a considerable force in the mak ing of cup handles and similar articles. In addition,thismethod necessitates the use oi a great number of molds and requires considerable space for the operators- By my method the number of cup'handles required by a large pottery can be readily produced by a single machine in a day, and this machine can be run by a single operator thus ell'ecting a great saving in pay, in addition to the enormous saving in space and material at present utilized in making the plaster molds employed by the present'process.

n carrying my invention into effect I provide a die composed of an upper section 1 and a lower section 2. The upper section is provided with a central longitudinally extending groove 3 with which communicate a plurality of recesses or grooves 4 corresponding in shape to a cup handle, the space inclosed by each of these grooves being open to provide an opening 5 to permit escape of the clay during the pressing operation. The lower section 2 is provided in its upper face with a series of grooves 6 corresponding to grooves 4 and extending about openings 7. As will be understood, the two sections are substantial counter parts of each other and when forced together serve to mold or press out from a suitable bat or pug of clay a plurality or", in this case 6, cup handles;

As will be noted more clearly from Figs. 4- and 5, lower section 2 is provided witha relatively deep groove 8 corresponding to groove 3 of section 1. This groove is of sub stantially rectangular cross section and receives a plunger head 9 which fits snugly within the groove and extends the full length thereof. Two pins 10 are secured in head 9 equidistant from the center thereof and are slidable through openings extending through the lower portion of section 2 'for this purpose. In practice the lower portion. 2 is mounted on plate 11 of a press of suitable type and the pins 10 extend through the usual central opening 12 in this plate. These pins also extend through a plate 13 positioned below plate 11 and receive nuts 14 threaded on their lower ends below plate 13. A stud 15 is secured in the under face of section 2 and extends through anopening in plate 13. This stud receives a tension spring 16 mountcdabout the same, the upper end of this spring being secured throughthe stud and the lower end of the spring being secured to plate 13. Plate 18 is provided adjacent to each end with pin. 17 secured thereto, this pin extending through registering openings provided in section 2 and in plate 11. As will be noted from Fig.6, the pins 17 are of such length as to project above the upper face of die section 2 when the die is open, spring 16- serving to normally hold plate 13 in raised position. Each of the pins 10 is provided adjacent to its lower end with an annular shoulder 18 which is in contact with the upper face of plate 13 so that the spring 16 acts to normally hold plunger head 9 raised slightly above the upper face of section 2. Preferably, though not necessarily, an eX- pansion spring 19 is mounted about each of the pins 10 between nut 14 and plate 13.

In practice, lower section 2 of the die is secured to plate 11 of a suitable press, the upper section being secured to a head 20 which is secured on the lower end of shaft 21 which is reciprocated vertically in any well known or suitable manner, the travel of this shaft being so itdJUStBCl that, when in its lowermost position, the upper section of the die is pressed into contact with the lower section for pressing the articles from a suitable hat of clay resting upon the upper face of the lower die section. In using the die, when the upper section is raised the upper face of plunger head 9 is flush with the upper face of lower section 2, as in Fig. For this purpose each of the pins 17 may be provided with an annular shoulder 17 which contacts with the under face of table 11 to positively limit upward movedie is raised, a suitable hat or pug of clay is placed upon the upper face of lower section 2. When the upper sectlon descends it first strikes the: upper'ends of pins 17 thus depressing plate 13 and moving head 9 into its lowermost position within groove 8. As the upper section moves into its lowermost position, the clay is pressed to provide a central member or stick 22 and six handles 23 whichare attached to the sides of this stick, three at each side, the grooves for these handles in the die sections being provided at each end with a raised end wall or element so as to materially reduce in thickness the'material by which the handles are attached to the stick so as to permit ready detachment thereof.- As the upper die section is raised, head!) is raised thus raising the stick and attached handles 23. This raises thestick above the body oflower section 2 so as to permit it to be readily gripped at each endand removed from the die, a

second pug or bat being then placed upon theupper faceof section Qand the operation repeated. In this manner the handles may be readily manufactured in great numbers at very small cost thus effecting a great saving over the present method employed for making cup handles.

What I claim is 7 1. In a method of making cup handles the forming of a plurality of I can handles in tegrally with a connecting member by pressing from a bat.

2. In amethod of making cup handles, the

material of a supporting member and a plurality of-cup handles each integrally connected at both ends to said supporting member. l i

4. In the making of articles of pottery, a method including the pressing of 'a bat between upper and lower die sections to form a pluralityof articles attached to a connecting member and then raising the connecting member above the lower die section so as to be readily grasped upon raising of the upper die section. V I

5. In a method of making articlesof pottery, the pressing between die sections of a bat to form a plurality of articles and a connecting member to which said articles are attached. 4

6. Ina die for: making articles of pottery, an upper section providedin its lower facewith a central groove and supplemental grooves communicating with said central groove, and a lower section provided in its upper face with a central groove and com.- municating supplemental grooves corresponding to the grooves of said uppersection, each'of the supplemental grooves of said sections being provided at its juncture with the central groove with a raised'element to produce a restricted opening between the supplemental groove and the central groove.

7. In a die 'formaking articles'of pottery, an upper section provided in its lower face with a central groove and supplemental grooves communicating with said central groove, a lower section provided in its upper facewith a relatively deep central groove and with communicating supplemental grooves corresponding to the supplemental grooves of the upper section, a plungerhead litting'snugly in the central groove of the lower section and, vertically slidable therein, means for normally. holding said head raised, and means fordepressing the head as the upper section is lowered into operative"relation to the lower section.

'8; In a die for making cup-handles, an upper section provided in its lower face with a central groove and with lateral handle forming grooves communicating with said central groove, and a lower sectionprovided in its upper face with a central groove and lateral communicating. grooves corresponding to the grooves of said upper section. 9.111 a die for making cup handles, an upper section provided in its lower face with a central groove and lateral grooves communicating with said central groove, a 'llXSCl lower sect on provided in its upper face with a relatively deep central groove and lateralgrooves corresponding to the lat similar vertical movement, means for noreral grooves of the upper section and commally holding said plate raised, and means municating with said central groove, a head for depressing said plate when said upper 10 fitting snugly in the central groove of the section is lowered into operative relation to lower section and slidable vertically therein said lower section.

a plate positioned beneath the lower section, In testimony whereof I afiix my signature. the plate and the head being connected for JAMES BENTON. 

